Sunday Morning Line with Len Hayward

Published 6:00 pm, Saturday, February 27, 2010

Len Hayward

Sports Editor

Len Hayward is the Sports Editor for the Reporter-Telegram. He can be reached at hayward@mrt.com.

This and that as another busy weekend of Midland sports has come and gone:

n First of all congratulations to the Midland High girls basketball team for advancing to the regional tournament. This team has produced some special moments this season, and will take plenty of memories with them.

The Lady Bulldogs just ran into a team that had as much talent as they did, and played a memorable game.

n I’m still wondering when all the tournament organizers who put on tournaments this past weekend will possibly move them around in the future. Maybe not have all of them on the same weekend. I understand there is some tradition there, but man, it sure is tough to get everywhere over the weekend.

But all the organizers have done a good job with the tournaments, and I know some hotels and restaurants are counting a few more green backs this weekend in Midland.

There is always high praise for the organizers from the folks who come from out of town. Kudos to all those people who volunteer their time to make these tournaments go so smoothly.

n Well, the Winter Olympics ends today and it’s becoming increasingly clear that the United States has become the juggernaut that the Soviet Union once was in the Winter Games. Now, I’m not comparing us to the Soviet Union before some of you think I’m a communist, but we have made it hard for the rest of the world to keep up with us in the Olympics.

And the best part is we have done it without a state-sponsored sports machine, like the Eastern Bloc had for so many years.

n Speaking of the Olympics, that hockey game is going on today. You know, the one between the United States and Canada. I don’t expect the same result as the preliminary because the Canadians got a wake-up call after that loss, and have been sharp ever since.

It will be a good game, but Canada is still the home of hockey, and we will be reminded again today.

n Congrats to the four-man bobsled team from the United States on winning the gold as it’s been nearly 60 years since it was done by an American four-man team. The best part is they did it in a sled that was designed by NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, and was American made. It took a bunch of years for this to happen, but some good ol’ American ingenuity made the difference.

n By this time next Sunday, we will likely know whether Midland College will pull off the rare accomplishment of sending a men’s and women’s basketball teams to national tournaments. It has never happened for the Chap Athletic program, and it could happen this year. Stay tuned.

n Now on the other end of the spectrum from the Midland High girls, what the heck is going on with the Lee boys basketball team. The Rebels won the district again, only to be bounced in the first round of the playoffs by El Paso Hanks. El Paso basketball is stout, but man, that loss had to hurt. I guess there is always next year.

n Now for the gearhead section. Danica Patrick finished her first foray into NASCAR this weekend in Las Vegas, and it ended up with a crunched race car. I believe she will succeed eventually but it will take time, and I don’t know whether sponsors or fans have that kind of patience.

As far as today’s race, the Las Vegas is a lot like California in that there is plenty of time to catch a nap, or two, along the way in watching.

n If you want to see a great weekly documentary about grassroots auto racing check out “Madhouse” on the History Channel. The documentary chronicles a handful of racers at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., through last year’s race season. I worked at Bowman Gray about 15 years ago, and it was the best time of my life in my career. If you are a race fan, you need to watch this documentary and also one day make a trek to Bowman Gray.

n And finally, I think I’m going to take a deep breath today after a busy week.